Phillips Exeter minister honored with peace award

ELIOT, Maine — On Saturday evening, the Rev. Robert Thompson, minister at Phillips Church in Exeter, N.H., was awarded the 2012 Sarah Farmer Peace Award at the Kelsey Center at Green Acre Baha'i School, Retreat and Conference Center.

David Ramsay

ELIOT, Maine — On Saturday evening, the Rev. Robert Thompson, minister at Phillips Church in Exeter, N.H., was awarded the 2012 Sarah Farmer Peace Award at the Kelsey Center at Green Acre Baha'i School, Retreat and Conference Center.

He was honored for his work over the past 25 years as the minister at Phillips Exeter Academy, bringing diverse faith traditions together in loving acceptance of each other's spiritual principles, said Jaleh Dashti-Gibson, administrator of Green Acre Center.

Now in its eighth year, the annual Sarah Farmer Peace Award recognizes contributions of area individuals and groups who take effective local action to promote peace and understanding among members of the human family, Dashti-Gibson said.

Under Thompson's leadership, the church hosts Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish worship, as well as an Interfaith Group, she added.

Not only is Phillips Church a place where established religious groups gather to worship together within their own tradition, it is also a place that invites and welcomes those unaligned with a recognized spiritual tradition and practice, or who may have no belief in a god or a creator, she said.

"(Thompson's) efforts in making our school a place where all religious faiths feel safe and welcome can be seen in the myriad religious services. ... His ministry makes possible our diverse student body," said Phillips Exeter Academy Principal Thomas Hassan in a letter read by Dashti-Gibson. "His outreach to individuals and groups off the Exeter campus is legendary."

After singing "Amazing Grace," Thompson thanked world musician Randy Armstrong, who accompanied his singing and also performed other musical offerings.

"I chose 'Amazing Grace' because it is the closest thing we have to a national hymn," Thompson said. "Even if you do not know the words to it, you probably do agree with the sentiment, the idea of being lost and found, the idea of recognizing your own unworthiness in the face of worthy opportunities."

Attendees spoke after the ceremony about their admiration for Thompson and his work at Phillips Exeter.

"He's a force in favor of people being accepted regardless of their beliefs and being accepted for just being human," said Grant Suhm, a summer conference leader at Green Acre, who comes from Texas. "To be a truly great person, you have to accept that people are different and they deserve to have their beliefs ... and you need to help them become the best person they can become."

"I was ... touched by the way he expressed the oneness of mankind," said Mara Khavari of Portsmouth, N.H. "There is a golden thread of unity that runs through all religions and all people. ... That recognition of our common humanity was very eloquently expressed."

In 2011, the award focused on educating the public in the skills of peacemaking and was given to Portsmouth Listens, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that designs and carries out study circle dialogues to solve community problems.

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